Message in a Bottle First Edition
PAGES
- Front Page - Message from the Editor & "Cutpurse & xPROx"
Page 2 - Global Event Gossip
Page 3 - Fully Rigged Ship Battle Scenes & Getting to Know the Crew
Page 4 - Rapid Ranking
Page 5 - Liberia and Lichenstein
Page 6 - Piracy Timeline
Liberia and Lichtenstein Conflict
King Eric of Leichtenstein (sometimes referred to as DezNutz or simply Dez), has been around Avonmora for quite some time. Some say he prefers to live under a bridge while others say he lurks, ever present near the town of Slackton. You never know the exploits of this mysterious monarch. We found him with a face full of powder...MIAB can only assume this to be the normal cheesy-poof dust.
(edited for formatting)DezNutz wrote:Liechtenstein is a very small nation. We have more businesses then people, but a strong economic front for a nation of our size. Even with that strong economic front we are still dependent on other nations for critical resources. I, King Eric, take much pride in my people and their entrepreneurial spirit. Our greatest accomplishment as a nation is the courage to stand up to our oppressors and their allies.
The War with Libera and her Allies continues. We have sprung forth a grassroots movement amongst the native population of the ports. These Hostile Natives have begun to take the fight to Liberia and her Allies on our behalf.
As I stated before, Liechtenstein must import many critical resources. Liberia's war declaration against the Isle of Man has put a strain on the supply of one of our most critically needed resource. The Cheesy Poof. It's poofiness and cheesiness is incomparable to all other poofs and is the highest quality. The need for this critical resource is of the utmost importance. Oh, cheesy poof! How I need you! ..... I'm sorry. We have had to ration the supplies we have as the supply chain is very limited.
King Eric does not comment on battle tactics. All the enemy needs to know is that I will continue and escalate as needed until Liberia surrenders and ends its war with our primary Cheesy Poof supplier.
I see this ending with me swimming in a great pool of Cheesy Poofs.
To Ac'k, King Eric only has this message. If there is a troll circling the castle gate, it is best not to feed it. And one more things. Cheesy Poofs, Cheesy Poofs, I love Cheesy Poofs. If you don't love Cheesy Poofs you are LAAAMMMME.
Of course, MIAB offered the King of Liberia the same amount of deck time and remember all our interviews are verbatim as per the writer themselves. Here at MIAB we do not tamper with the facts.
Liberia’s Ac’k Kwomfwo (#93632) first sailed into Avonmora on Day 2967 and promptly joined the guild that is now known as New Providence Seafarers [NPS]. It bears mentioning that the NPS is known as a clandestine guild, influencing and directly supporting countless minor and major events across Avonmora. The guild, led by Stan Rogers, is known for its abilities for staying anonymous and keeping their communications secret.
Within a fortnight, Kwomfwo had ranked to King of the nation of Liberia, a penniless state with steady economic growth in spite of its lack of citizens. Kwomfwo was warned by several players about the risk of having his Marquess prize Man o’ War commandeered, but he had successfully completed construction of his hideout and marina ten days prior to attaining the rank. Few players had taken notice of Kwomfwo at first but with his remark about having already docked his MoW safely away from Shadowood (perhaps due to a mention from William Pitt), controversy began to stir. However, It was not until his Declaration that sentiment changed from support to suspicion and outrage.
On Day 2983, Ac'k Kwomfwo, as King of Liberia, began open recruitment to his nation with a Declaration that suggested “change in Avonmora.” Kwomfwo asserted that he would “make it so that anyone can take over whatever port they want! With the right money of course. Maybe in the future you will see Liberia with control of every port.”
As aggressions increased Liberia began to enter into states of war with neighboring nations. Three days into these aggressions, Captain Fatbeard aka DezNutz, King of Liechtenstein, posted Oh Thy Cheesy Poof as an active War Declaration against Liberia for its threat against his most precious Cheesy Poofs, currently manufactured in Isle of Man. In his declaration, Dez swore to protect his Cheesy Poofs at all costs.
Liberia currently holds Peace Treaties with the mostly dormant nations of Bahamas and Fiji. Liberia has forged active Alliances with Sweden, Cayman Islands, Australia, as well as the mostly dormant nations of United Kingdom, Niger, American Samoa and British Indian Ocean.
States of War exist between LIberia and Isle of Man, Liechtenstein, and Antigua & Barbuda. Some of these nations have also declared a state of war against Liberian allies.
FOOTNOTE: King A’ck admits in his short time in Avonmora, he has only experienced voodoo cast by players such as Dman...and Dez
(NPS was formally AYES of Avonmora/Spanish Ayes)
Historical Lookback
Corsair - Barbary Pirates and Privateer Corsairs
Corsair - Barbary Pirates and Privateer Corsairs
Although acts of piracy are recorded as far back as 2nd Century places such as ancient China the real age of piracy didn't begin until the 14th century.
Originating and operating from the Barbary Coast ports in northern Africa, notably Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli.
They called themselves 'Corsairs'( a mix of the old French word for 'corsaire' meaning pirate and from the word Latin ' cursus ' meaning 'a running course'.
By the 16th century these Corsairs were profiting from both eastern and western European traders with many of their fleets designed and structured from the experience of then many naval-tuned-privateer captains who joined them.
In the early days of north African piracy, the majority of galleys were sponsored and the maintenance costs borne by wealthy benefactors who would take a 10 % cut of the pirate booty.
Galleys were the preferred ships of Corsairs for their maneuverability . A naval galley was usually 130 feet long, 20 feet wide, and it could carry 150 tons of cargo or 250 soldiers. Pirates using galleys often had crews up to 100 or more.
The Galley has an ancient and extensive history.
The Barbary pirates plying the seas in and around the Mediterranean preferred their galleys in the 15th and the 16th century.
Long and narrow their power did not come from their lanteen sails. It came from speed and skills of the oarsmen, normally 100 men.
With a shallow draft and only one deck, few guns were mounted and most attacks relied on manpower and a lot of hand to hand combat.
Likely, the most famous galley in Pirate history belonged to Captain Willian Kidd. Built in England by William Castle especially for Kidd at a cost of 8000 pounds Stirling,
In 1695, The Adventure Galley was entrusted to him by the King of England for Privateering in the name of the Crown.
By this time English navy was using the term Privateer to distance themselves from the African corsairs and seek out and bring to justice those nasty pirates who continued to expand their runs to include places as far away as the Caribbean.
The Corsiars of northern Africa chased wealthy merchant ships and captured slaves to be sold at market across the Ottoman Empire.
Perhaps capturing as many as 1.25 million folk between 16th and 19th centuries. At the height of their destruction the Dutch, French and the Spanish navies began to openly attack the corsairs enabling 'Privateering' as a respectable profession.. Many pirate legends are born of this era.
By the time the French conquered Algiers in 1860. European governments were demanding something be done and threatened northern African countries with blockades. One of the more notable pirate/privateer battles happened not long after the Napoleonic Wars when European governments joined together and formed an Alliance and a plan of action at Congress of Vienna 1814-1815.
Many privateers had high standing in the British Government while many claimed to have their kIngs' support, often they did not. The English, French and Dutch Privateers harassed Spain's interests in the Caribbean. Spain didn't differentiate and called them all Pirates and ordered everyone of them caught to be put to death regardless if they had Royal Orders or not.
Henry Morgan was one of these Privateer Captains. He had free reign to do as he wished because of his position in society and government.
Free to do as he pleased, he hounded the Spanish however he refused to take on the title of a Corsair.
He insisted he was a Privateer and he proudly sailed for Britain without any repercussions for any of his many horrendous and inhumane acts. One such act being the Sacking of Panama in 1671 when he and his men captured and held Portobello in 1668. Finally forcing Spain into a deal and with a govt contracted ransom, he was paid 150 pounds per Privateer dead and the money made it easy for him to keep his wild and often unruly mob in order.
Morgan was knighted in 1674 by Catherine of Braganza, wife of Charles II
He remained ensconced in the seat of Jamaica's Lieutenant Governor where he served for 9 years.
In 1863 and it is generally accepted he died from TB or possibly cirrhosis of the liver in 1688.
Many of the active privateers did not want to stand down after the Spanish Succession War 1701-1714 . Openly becoming pirates and continuing to terrify and attack merchants of all nations. This forced European governments to organize their military fleets into ending the majority of the pirate activity from the Atlantic in the early 1730s, thus ending the famous 'Golden Age of Piracy".
He is buried at Palisadoes cemetery, Port Royal. Upon his interment, he received a 22-gun salute from the ships moored in the harbor.
Morgan died a very wealthy man
